Table-turning mechanism



ept 24 135. L. D. TIITUS 2,915,639

TABLE TURNING MECHANI SM Filed May 51, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l [N VENTOR LEO/V .0. 777' 1/5 675 A TTORNE V Sept. 24, 1935. L, D mus 2,015,639

TABLE TURNING MECHANI SM Filed May 31, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :1 2 40 53 .1? 3 34 Wu H" W V A *Q i W "Ill 3 M5 ATTORNEY Patented. Sept. 24, 1935 UNETEE STATES PATENT ()FFIQE TABLE-TURNING MECHANISM of Delaware Application May 31, 1933, Serial No. 673,610

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an attachment for a mechanism, such as a filling and capping appa ratus, as described and claimed in the United States Letters Patent to Rollin L. Drake, No.

1,823,889, patented September 22, 1931.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a turning apparatus for rotating an article supporting table through a given angle with a minimum of agitation or shock to the supported article.

The above and other objects will appear more fully from the following description. In the drawings:

Fig. l is an elevational View, parts being in section, illustrating one adaptation of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, a stationary frame 6 and movable frame 8 may be constructed in accordance with the disclosure of the above Drake patent, No. 1,823,839. The movable frame 8 is pivotally mounted on a central support (not shown), the frame carrying a number of attachments or brackets ll], one for each of the articles to be sup ported on tables i2 and advanced through the mechanism.

In order to shift the article supported on the 2 table it, for more convenient operation in filling, capping or labeling the article, the table i2 is supported on a shaft l4, rotatably mounted in bearings it on bracket Hi. Movement of the table is controlled through the operating devices carried at the lower end of the shaft l4. These devices include a locking disc 8, a mutilated gear wheel 26 and a disc 22 carrying diametrically opposed pins and rollers 23. The above disc, gears, etc., are arranged and designed to be controlled by the cams, gears, etc., positioned in the control station 2 3, it being understood that there will be provided one or more stations 24 in accordance with the type of apparatus with which the turning devices are employed and that the table and articles supported thereon will be rotated through the desired angle for the intended purpose. In the disclosure, the tables l2 (only one of which is shown) are rotated through an angle of 180 as each of the tables passes through the station 24.

The disc !8 is formed with opposed V-shaped notches 25 normally engaged by the wedge-shaped end of the locking bar 28, mounted in a suitable support (not shown) and tensioned to remain normally in locked position, as shown in Fig. 2. The bar 28 carries a roller 3%] engageable against the inner edge of a stationary arcuate cam 32 associated with the station 2 The cam 32 has a forward beveled surface 32a. for moving 5 the locking bar to unlocked position, an arcuate surface 322) for maintaining the bar unlatched and a final beveled edge tie for permitting the bar 28 to move back to latched position. The cam 32 thus maintains the bar 28 in unlatched position as the table moves through the station 2-3.

The station 24 is provided with a rack 34 which may conveniently be formed as a succession of projecting teeth placed on the outer edge of the cam 32, the rack 34 being engaged by the gear segments 2! during the intermediate period of the rotation of table. The initial rotation of the table 24 is accomplished through the engagement of the forward roller 23 in the V-shaped slot 3'6 formed on the upper face of a control plate 33. The plate 38 is formed with a projecting cam 38 at the forward edge thereof, with respect to the movement of the table, the cam 4i! having a bearing surface 42 positioned to be engaged by the rollers 23 to place them in longitudinal alignment as the table and operating devices enter the station 24. It will be understood that the cam surface 42 is normally not required since the table is intended to be locked in the position shown in Fig. 2 with the pins 23 properly aligned. If, how ever, from any cause the table is not locked in position, the cam surface 42 will move the pins 23 into aligned position and prevent injury to the various operating devices. All of the mechanism 9 shown at the station 24, that is, the cam 32, plate 38, projection Ml, etc., may conveniently be supported on a stationary bracket 44, carried by the framework 6.

In the operation of the apparatus the platform 8 is rotated about its pivot (not shown), carrying the various tables l2, shafts M and operating devices carried thereby, to and through the station 24. As the table approaches the station 24 it is normally held in locked position by means of the bar 23. This bar is unlatched through the engagement of the roller 39 with the cam 32 at approximately the time the forward roller 23 engages in the forward edge of the slot 36. The roller 23 then moves around the V-shaped slot and carries the corresponding gear 2! into mesh with the rack 34, the latter rotating the shaft l4 and table !2 until the pin 2! starts out through the second half of the V-shaped slot 36, this movement withdrawing the gear from the rack 36. As r the roller 2| passes out of the slot 36, the bar 28 moves into locking position in one of the notches 26. In this way the entire rotation of the table l2, initiated through the engagement of the forward roller 23 within the slot 36, carried forward through the engagement of gear 2| with rack 34 and concluded through the engagement of pin 23 in the slot 35, produces a gradual rotation of the table which avoids jostling and jarring the contents, closures, etc., from the supported article.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a movable article support, a table, a pivotal support for said table, an operating member movable with said table, a stationary element formed with a slot therein, a pin formed on said operating member and adapted to engage in the slot in the stationary element for initiating the rotation of said table, means for advancing the table and the operating member relative to the stationary element to bring them into operating position, and additional means for performing the intermediate stages of turning said table.

2. In a. movable article support, a rotatable table, an operating member rotatable with said table, a stationary clement, means carried by said operating member and stationary element for producing a gradual rotation of said table during the initial and final stages of its turning, means for advancing the table and the operating member relative to the stationary element in order to bring them into operating position, and other means for turning said table during the intermediate turning stages.

3. In a movable article support, a rotatable table, a support therefor for advancing said table, an operating member movable with said table, a stationary element, coacting gears carried by said operating member and stationary element for rotating said table and means for initiating the rotation of said operating member and table to bring said gears into mesh.

4. In a movable article support, a rotatable table, a support therefor for advancing said table, an operating member movable with said table, a stationary element formed with a slot therein, coacting gears carried by said operating member and stationary element for rotating said table, and means comprising a pin carried by said operating member and adapted to engage in the slot in the stationary element for initiating the rotation of said operating member and table to bring said gears into mesh.

5. In a. movable article support, a rotatable table, a support therefor for advancing said table, an operating member movable with said table, a stationary element formed with a slot therein, coacting gears carried by said operating member and stationary element for rotating said table, means comprising a pair of pins on said operating member, normally aligned with respect to the movement of said table, one of said pins being adapted to engage in the slot in the stationary element for initiating the rotation of said operating member and table to bring said gears into mesh.

6. In a movable article support, a rotatable table, a support therefor for advancing said table, an operating member movable with said table, a stationary element formed with a slot therein, coacting gears carried by said operating member and stationary element for rotating said table, means comprising a pair of pins on said operating member, normally aligned with respect to the movement of said table, one of said pins being adapted to engage in the slot in the stationary element for initiating the rotation of said operating member and table to bring said gears into mesh, and means for moving said operating memher to cause said pins to be aligned as said operating member approaches said slot.

'7. In a movable article support, a rotatable table, a support therefor for advancing said table, an operating member movable with said table, a stationary element formed with a slot therein, coacting gears carried by said operating member and stationary element for rotating said table, means comprising a pair of pins on said operating member, normally aligned with respect to the movement of said table, one of said pins being adapted to engage in the slot in the stationary element for initiating the rotation of said operat ing member and table to bring said gears into mesh, and a stationary cam engageable with said pins for causing the same to be aligned as said operating member approaches said slot.

8. In a movable article support, a rotatable table, a support therefor for advancing said table, an operating member movable with said table, a stationary element, coacting gears carried by said operating member and stationary element for rotating said table, means for initiating the rotation of said operating member and table to bring said gears into mesh, locking means for retaining said operating member in its normal position during normal movement of the same and means for disengaging said locking means as said operating member approaches said stationary element.

LEON D, TITUS. 

